A row of cots lined up inside the Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, which opened its doors to shelter the homeless on the coldest nights of the year. Photo courtesy of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church.

Head of Dallas’ Homeless Response System Resigns

The head of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance is resigning months after a city audit found many faults in the response system addressing Dallas’ growing homelessness.

Cindy Crain said last month that the alliance’s board was “rock solid and behind me,” but some City Council members had been openly calling for a change in leadership at the organization, which is tasked with coordinating the various groups that treat the homeless. Her resignation goes into effect at the end of the month.

Crain, who became president of the homeless alliance in 2015, sent over this statement:

“In three years we have accomplished nearly all my goals to set the amazing group of homeless service providers in Dallas on a pathway to be an effective homeless response system! My last accomplishment was Thursday evenings publication of the first ever homeless response system strategic plan draft developed by 70 of the community’s leaders…They will now finalize it and set a course of action To make homelessness rare short term and non-recurring. They have the talent, compassion, and sense of urgency to make it happen!”

The new leader of MDHA, whoever that may be, has their work cut out for them as the city grapples with an affordable housing crisis and works to implement the recommendations in last year’s damning audit.